Air conditioner and compressor



O. H. KLOTZ Filed Dec. 1, 1933 AIR CONDITIONER AND COMPRESSOR- A ril 24, 1934.

-1NVENTOR M ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The object of this invention is to devise a novel air conditioner and compressor which will provide a supply of air under pressure from which the impurities have been removed.

In the dispensing of beer it is customary to introduce air under pressure into the keg or barrel by means of a mechanical pump or compressor, and since this air is ordinarily taken from the cellar or tap room, it is contaminated with dust, foul odors, oil fumes and other deleterious material which affect the flavor and character of the beer.

If a dry air filter is used at the intake of the pump or compressor, some of the impurities in the dust laden air are removed but the air is not properly cleansed and conditioned.

Pumps and compressors, which have mechanically moving parts, have a tendency to generate oil fumes, and as the speed of the pump or compressor increases as the demand for air increases, heat is generated which warms the air and increases the amount of oil fumes generated.

In accordance with this invention, the air is taken from above the rinsing tank above 0001,.

clean, fresh water which is automatically maintained fresh by the discharge of water from the air conditioner and compressor. This airis taken in at the bottom of the compressor and passes upwardly through a large body of water and passes through a restricted opening into an upper chamber, thus being subjected to washing and cleaning operations. Theair is conducted to a storage tank, from which it passes to the beer kegs or barrels.

The water, which actuates an ejector to cause the introduction of air, is automatically controlled and is delivered to the rinsing tank.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will hereinafter clearly appear, my invention comprehends a novel air conditioner and compressor. It further comprehends a novel air conditioner and compressor, wherein water is utilized as the compressing medium for the air, which latter passes through'a large body of water in a chamber, and from said chamber through a restricted opening into a second chamber where the air is again washed. The air under pressure is collected in a storage tank from which it can be conducted to the beer kegs or barrels.

My invention further comprehends novel means to create an air pressure equal to the water pressure.

The invention further comprehends a novel air conditioner having novel means to control the flow of water, and novel means to control the flow of air so that water cannot pass to the storage tank.

' Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of it, which, in practice, will give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that this embodiment is typical only and the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the exact arrangement and organization of this instrumentality as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an air conditioner and compressor, embodying my invention arranged for dispensing beer.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the air conditioner and compressor.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of valve employed.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corre-' sponding parts.

Referring to the drawing:-

1 designates the casing of an air conditione and compressor embodying my invention. The bottom of the compressor is closed, and the upper end of the casing or shell is provided with a removable cover 2 which is secured by fastening devices 3 to a reinforcing ring 4 welded to the easing. A suitable packing 5 is interposed between the cover and ring to form a fluid tight joint. 6 designates a partition welded to the casing and contributing to form a lower chamber 7 and an upper chamber 8. The communication between these chambers is controlled by a check valve 9 which is shown in section in Figure 3 and has a ball valve 10, operating in the conventional manner. A small pipe 11 communicates with the valve below its lower seat so that there is at all times restricted communication between the chamber 8 and 7, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. 12 designates an ejector a. check which is in communication with the source of water supply and with a pipe 13 which extends downwardly through the partition and has its lower end near the bottom of the chamber 7. The ejector discharges into a pipe 14 having a float controlled valve 15. The pipe 14 communicates with a pipe 16 discharging into a rinsing tank1'7. The air inlet pipe 18 has'its inlet end above the water in the rinsing tank 17 and communicates with a pipe 19 extending into the bottom of the lower chamber 7 and provided with a check valve 20 which opens in the direction of flow of airthrough the pipe 19. This pipe 19 has restricted ports 21 in its top wall and is closed at its free end. The water from the source of supply passes through main inlet pipe 22 and meter 23 to pipe 24 having a valve 25. A branch pipe line 26 leads from the pipe 24 to-a fitting 27 which forms the inlet to the ejector. This pipe 26 has a valve 28 and a check valve 29 opening in the direction of flow through the pipe 26.

The air passes from the chamber 8 to a pipe line 30 having a pressure gage 31 and leading to a storage tank 32. A pipe line 33 from the pipe 30, provided with a regulator valve 34 and a pressure gage 35 leads to a manifold 36 having the valves 37 adapted to receive flexible connections 38 leading to the valve fittings 39 of the beer kegs or barrels 40. A line 41 leads from a fitting 39 to the coils 42 of the coil box 43 and to the draw-off cocks 44. 45 is a float valve in the chamber 8 which serves as a safety device to prevent water passing into the high pressure air pipe 30. 46 is a drain plug.

The operation will now be apparent to those skilled in this art and is as follows:

Assuming that the device has just been installed, valve 28 is opened and the water flows from the source of supply through pipe 26 into ejector 12 and through pipe 13 into the lower chamber 7. The chamber 7 is thus filled and the Water passes upwardly through check valve 9 and restricted opening of pipe 11 into the upper chamber 8. This raises the float of the valve 15, opening such valve so that the water can now pass through the ejector to pipe 14 and discharge pipe 16, discharginginto the rinsing tank 17. The Water passing through the ejector 12 creates a suction or vacuum in the pipe '13, thus drawing water from the chamber. 7 through the pipe 13. The check valve 9 closes but water can pass from the chamber 8 through the opening of pipe 11 of the check valve to the lower chamber '7. The opening being small does not allow enough water to pass down from chamber 8 to chamber 7 to interfere with the vacuum being formed in the lower chamber 1. The vacuum in the chamber '7 draws air through the ports 21 in pipe 19, check valve 20, and line 18. This'action continues until suflicient water is withdrawn from chamber 8 through opening of pipe 11 to cause the float of float valve 15 to move downwardly, thus closing float valve 15.

The closing of the float valve causes water to pass down the pipe 13, thereby breaking the vacuum in chamber 7, closing check valve 20, compressing the air in chamber 7 and forcing it upwardly through check valve 9 and pipe 11 into chamber 8. The air was first drawn up through the body of water in chamber 7, and is now being forced through another body of water in chamber 8.

This action continues until the pressure of air in the upper chamber 8 equals that of the water pressure.

When the air is being withdrawn from the chamber 8, the pressure is reduced in chamber 8 and as the water is now of greater pressure than the air it passes from the chamber 7 through the check valve 9 and rises in the chamber 8 sufliciently to cause the float of float valve 15 to open the float valve 15 and the cycle hereinbefore explained is repeated. The air discharge pipe 30 leads to the air storage tank 32. The air is withdrawn as needed passing through pipe 33 to its point of utilization, such as for example, the beer keg or barrel 40.

The float valve 45 acts as a safety valve. If for any reason the automatic devices in the chamber 8 such as the float valve 15 or check valve 9 should not properly function and the water fills the upper chamber 8, the float valve 45 will close and prevent water passing into the air supply pipes.

The float valve 15 goes into action at a certain high point and a certain low point in the level of the water in the upper chamber 8. The amount of water taken from the chamber 7 depends upon the length of time the float valve stays open. This is controlled by the length of time it takes the water level in the chamber 8 to go from its highpoint level to its low point level. This is controlled by the time it takes for the water to passthrough the restricted opening of check valve 9 from chamber 8 to chamber '7. Therefore the opening is of such size or restriction as to retard the float of float valve 15 from reaching the low point level until a certain amount of water has been withdrawn from the chamber 7.

The check valve 9 is for the purpose of causing the water to pass from chamber 7 to chamber 8 at a much faster rate than it Will pass from chamber 8 through pipe 11 to chamber '7. This causes the water to reach its high point level in chamber 8 much faster than if only a restricted opening such as that formed by the pipe 11 was employed.

The passage of the water from the chamber 8 to chamber '7 is restricted to control the amount of water leaving the lower chamber 7 and no restriction is necessary when the water passes from chamber 7 to chamber 8.

It will thus be clear that by the use of a check valve with an unobstructed opening, the speed of action of the automatic mechanism is materially increased.

The ejector 12 and float valves 15 and 45 are of conventional and well known construction and operation and it has therefore been deemed unnecessary to illustrate and describe them in detail.

It will be apparent form the foregoing that I employ two chambers in restricted communication with each other. The first chamber has a valve controlled air inlet. Means, such as for example an ejector, are used to introduce water under pressure into the first chamber and to withdraw it therefrom to draw in the air and compress it, so that it will be thoroughly washed and purified by passing it through two bodies of water. The air pressure in the second chamber is equal to that of the water pressure.

The water introducing and withdrawal means are controlled by the air pressure in the second chamber, so that the action is entirely automatic.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful air conditioner and compressor which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof, which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that this embodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a partition forming a first and a second chamber with an opening communicating with said chambers, a valve controlled air inlet for the first chamber, and means controlled by the level of water in said second chamber to introduce water into and withdraw it from said first chamber.

2. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a partition dividing it into a first and second chamber with an opening communieating with said chambers, a valve controlled air inlet to said first chamber, a water injector to' alternately discharge water into and withdraw it from said first chamber to create an air pressure in said second chamber equal to that of the water pressure, and means controlled by the amount of water in said second chamber to control said ejector.

3. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a partition dividing it into a first and second chamber with a communication between said chambers, an ejector having a suction line opening into said first chamber, means to feed water to said suction pipe to fill said first chamber, a fioat in said chamber controlling said ejector, a valve controlled air inlet to said first chamber, and means to withdraw air from said second chamber.

4. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a partition dividing it into a first and second chamber, a check valve in said partition and an unobstructed opening communicating with said chambers, an ejector having a suction pipe opening into said first chamber, means to feed water to said suction pipe to fill said first chamber, a fioat controlled valve in said second chamber controlling said ejector, a check controlled air inlet to said first chamber, and means to withdraw air from said second chamber.

5. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a partition dividing it into a first and second chamber with a communication between said chambers, an ejector having a suction line opening into said first chamber, means to feed water to said suction pipe to fill said first chamber, a float in said chamber controlling said ejector, a valve controlled air inlet to said first chamber, means to withdraw air from said second chamber and a fioat controlled valve or said air withdrawal means.

6. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a first and second chamber in restricted communication with each other, an ejector having a suction pipe opening into said first chamber, means to feed water to said suction pipe to fill said first chamber, a fioat valve in said second chamber controlling said ejector, an air inlet communicating with the lower portion of said first chamber, an air storage tank connected with said second chamber, and means to withdraw air ,from said second chamber and storage tank to reduce the pressure in said second chamber so that water will flow from said first chamber into said second chamber.

7. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a partition dividing it into a first and second chamber having restricted communication with each other, a check controlled air inlet for said first chamber, an ejector having a suction pipe opening into said first chamber, means to feed water to said suction pipe to fill said first chamber, means controlled by the level of water in said second chamber to control said ejector, and a tank to which the discharge from said ejector passes and said air inlet receiving air from above said tank.

8. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having two chambers in restricted communication with each other, a valve controlled air inlet for the first chamber, means to introduce water under pressureinto said first chamber and to withdraw it therefrom to compress the air and pass it through the water in said chambers to create an air pressure in said second chamber equal to that of the water pressure, and means controlled by variations in the air pressure in said second chamber to control said water introducing and withdrawal means.

9. In an air conditioner and compressor, a casing having a first and a second chamber, means to permit water to fiow freely from the first chamber to the second chamber and to have at times a restricted fiow from said second chamber to said first chamber, a check controlled air valve for said first chamber, an ejector having a suction pipe opening into said first chamber, means to feed water through said suction pipe into said first chamber, and a fioat controlled valve in said second chamber controlling said ejector.

O'I'I'O H. KLOTZ. 

